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Sunday, April 03, 2011

Draw #3: USA vs Switzerland, Early Ends

End #3: On both sheets this morning, the ice seems a bit slow, leading to many shots that come up short. So promptly the US over-compensates and puts both lead rocks a couple of feet deeper into the rings than they wanted to. A series of hits and rolls leaves SU with two in the 12' and the US with one, SU lying 1st and 2nd shot. After more hits and rolls, SU keeps the rings split and scores 2.US 2, SU 3

As we expected, because there are only two games at this morning's draw, and because Canada isn't playing, there are only about 500 people here as the draw begins.

End #2. SU begins with two in the top 12', US with a corner guard but then hits and rolls beyond cover with the 2nd rock of Ryan (US lead). A series of misses leaves the rings empty with a US corner guard, which Polo (US 2nd) draws around. Ramstein tries to follow it down but overcurls. Rojeski (US third) puts up an ineffectual guard, but Ramstein is light trying to draw around it, and Rojeski wrecks on it, but his rock serves as yet another guard that can be raised later. Schwaller tries a really difficult chip of his own rock onto the US rock but doesn't quite move the US rock far enough. Fenson draws around the guards (I'm not quite sure why SU didn't go in first) and lies two. SU tries to draw as well, but comes up short, leaving yet another guard. The US might be able to hit a SU rock on the edge of the 8' and roll in to score 3. Nope. a bit light. US 2, SU 1

End #1. Standard opening. Nice papering of the guard by Ramstein (SU third) to lie two, but Fenson (US skip hit one and rolled behind cover). In response, Schwaller (SU skip) tapped his own rock behind cover, rolling the shooter behind another guard to lie one or maybe even two again, leaving the US in a dilemma. Fenson hits the SU rock in the back of the 4' but rolls a bit, and the speculation along the media bench is that SU lies one with a draw to the 4' for two. But Schwaller was wide of the broom and rubbed on the guard. Measure to see who scores..... SU scores 1 with the hammer.USA 0, SU 1